Jerboa Rat
These rats are able to comfortably live in deserts or jungles, wherever some people still live primitively. They are curiously tame by nature, choosing to live near humans for protection and to hone their powers. Jerboa rats may be diminutive, but their great speed enables them to escape predators, as well as their unique markings that allow them to camouflage. The males are more red than the females, though they bear the same white spots that blend in so well with sand. Female jerboa rats are more tan, and it is they who raise the young, teaching them how to forage and evade harm. Like most magical creatures, these animals do not bear more than one offspring at a time, and therefore value their young greatly. It is not until they are nearly full grown that adult jerboa rats begin to take hatchlings on serious outings. Because these creatures live in the presence of humans, hatchlings are seldom bored enough to wander off into danger. Adult jerboa rats are extremely alert and careful. For those that live in the desert, they create burrows where they remain during the heat of the day, coming out at night when the most dangerous predators are asleep. Egg A few small, dark spots decorate the shell of this brown egg. Hatchling Soft and small, jerboa rats make adorable hatchlings. They easily fit in the palm of a hand, and need only a few seeds to make a meal. Given a few strips of cloth, jerboa rats will quickly make a nest, where they proceed to nestle up and go to sleep. While these hatchlings spend much time asleep or eating, they go on more and more frequent outings with parents as they age. If an adult of their kind is not present to teach them, a jerboa hatchling will never develop their magical talents. Adult Jerboa rats are highly prized because or their unique talent: a form of psychic ability that allows the creatures to share senses with their magi, enabling the creature's keeper to see, hear, smell, and even taste the things that their Jerboa rat is currently experiencing. This power is especially useful when in wars, where spying can divulge information that may lead to victory. This possession only lasts for a few moments, though, and takes years of training to master. Because of this strong relationship, if a Jerboa rat's magi passes away, it will never bond with another human again. It is for these powers that jerboa rats are taken in by tribe's people, given refuge from dangerous deserts and jungles. When brought to The Keep, jerboa rats first explore every inch of their new home before digging their own. These burrows are all over, and one can never tell when a jerboa rat will pop out of the ground. Though food is plentiful, these creatures create separate burrows where they store food, usually grains and seeds. They love fruits as well, though, and the garden is constantly being raided by these small animals. *Breeding Available for 3 Additional Information *No. 109 * Obtained from Donation Shop for 2 (April 15 - May 14 2010) *Released: April 15, 2010 *Artist: Niwer *Dimorphism: **Male is darker brown **Female is lighter brown *Origins: Jerboa is a hopping desert rodent found throughout Arabia, Northern Africa and Asia east to northern China and Manchuria. They tend to live in hot deserts. Category:Donation Category:2010 Creatures Category:Gender Dimorphism Category:Artist: Niwer Category:Rodents Category:Rats